A clamp used to support auxiliary equipment onto an operating table is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,631 entitled "Surgical Retractor Apparatus with Improved Clamping Device". The clamp described within this patent utilizes a first knob to secure the clamp to the edges of the operating table and a second knob to secure the knob to an upright support post used to engage auxiliary medical equipment such as a surgical drape. When weight-bearing medical equipment such as the leg support used in knee surgery described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,858 it is important that the clamping device employed to secure the support post have sufficient holding force to remain intact during the long time requirements to repair the knee ligaments and cartilage.
Since sterile equipment is employed in all types of surgery, it is beneficial to use one hand to secure the associated medical apparatus to the operating table to minimize the risk of contamination.
One purpose of this invention is to describe a universal clamp that simultaneously attaches to the operating table and to the upright equipment support post and only requires a single knob in the process.